Standard German originated not as a traditional dialect of a specific region, but as a written language.

Learning German Language on the beautiful River Rhine

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

To speak another language is of great benefit when visiting other countries either for business or pleasure. Learning German Language is an excellent choice to achieve that goal.

If you visit Germany it is helpful to speak the language. Which part of the country would you like to visit? Let’s explore another part of Germany. Maybe you have heard of the beautiful castles along the Rhine River. It begins its long journey at the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier, in the Swiss Alps, then flows east and north and passes through Lake Constance (Bodensee). Near Schaffhausen it plunges over a spectacular waterfall, the Rheinfall. From there its journey is north through a large part of Germany and empties into the North Sea, near Rotterdam. Its total journey is 820 miles, or 1320 km, which makes it one of the longest rivers in Europe. It flows by vineyards, ancient castles, historical sites, and industrial cities. Along the way it passes through or borders on the countries of Lichtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

The river has a long history. It is mentioned as early as 56 BC in Julius Caesar writing, as he crossed it from France into Germany. It served as the rough border between the Roman Empire and the German tribes along Caesar’s conquest of Gaul. Attempts to push Roman rule beyond the Rhine were abandoned after the battle of the Teutoburg Forest, in which three Roman legions were annihilated by German barbarians in 9 AD.

In later years Knights and Royal Families built castles along its banks, and in more modern times, the Barons of Industry made their home here.

There is a lot to do and see along the Rhine. If you want to visit the vineyards, a good time to go is in the fall when you can taste the new wine. Maybe you are interested in one of the many Rhine cruises. The longest runs from Basil, Switzerland to Amsterdam in Holland. You will see many castles and fortresses on a cruise, and you can practice German with the other passengers on the ship. More energetic traveler will love the many hiking and cycling trails.

The landscape of the Middle Rhine River is especially interesting if you like hiking. You can choose from seven hiking trails. Two of them are especially noteworthy. One is the Rhine-Castles-Hiking Path on the left side of the river. The other is the Rhine River hill climbing path on the right side of the river. These two paths belong to the most beautiful routes of the world heritage sites.

You don’t want to miss the Lorelei, near Castle Katz (cat). Sailors were so taken by Lorelei’s beauty, as she sat on top of the river gorge, combing her hair, that they missed the bend in the river and wrecked their boats on the rocks.

Some of the castles have been converted to Hotels, with modern amenities. One of the beneficial outcomes of the destruction of World War II is the ancient buildings and monuments had to be restored in the original style, with modern conveniences added.

So, on your next trip to Germany, you can enjoy yourself with your newfound knowledge of the language, which you can learn with the help of Learning German Language.

Reform of 1996 and beyondThe German spelling reform of 1996 led to public controversy and considerable dispute. Some state parliaments (Bundesländer) would not accept it (North Rhine Westphalia and Bavaria). The dispute landed at one point in the highest court, which made a short issue of it, claiming that the states had to decide for themselves and that only in schools could the reform be made the official rule—everybody else could continue writing as they had learned it. Read More...